Set your hope on God rather than the uncertainty of money

theological

Over the last while I've been brought to look at 1 Timothy 6 and it's view on money. I think we could benefit by looking at it and discussing it. I found it pretty challenging.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 wrote:

But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Just before this section we see Paul talking about the nature of false teaching that has entered the church. In verse 5 he says that people are trying to use godliness as financial gain. He starts this section with "But". This is what the Christian life is meant to look like. Contentment with what we have. The desire for more is dangerous and can lead people away from Jesus. He uses "pangs" in verse 10 to describe its addictive nature.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 wrote:

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

At the end of 1 Timothy we see the solution. It is to be generous with what we have and share so we can put our trust in God and find security in Him.

Questions for Christians:
Is the desire for money tempting for you?

How can the love of money take us away from loving God?

How can a love of money be addictive?

How can we be more generous with what we have?

Non-Christians:
Do you think a love of money is destructive? Why or why not?

Is it good to replace an unhealthy love with a better love?

Where do you find security in this life?

antiskeptic

theological wrote: »

Over the last while I've been brought to look at 1 Timothy 6 and it's view on money. I think we could benefit by looking at it and discussing it. I found it pretty challenging.



Just before this section we see Paul talking about the nature of false teaching that has entered the church. In verse 5 he says that people are trying to use godliness as financial gain. He starts this section with "But". This is what the Christian life is meant to look like. Contentment with what we have. The desire for more is dangerous and can lead people away from Jesus. He uses "pangs" in verse 10 to describe its addictive nature.



At the end of 1 Timothy we see the solution. It is to be generous with what we have and share so we can put our trust in God and find security in Him.

Questions for Christians:
Is the desire for money tempting for you?

How can the love of money take us away from loving God?

How can a love of money be addictive?

How can we be more generous with what we have?

Non-Christians:
Do you think a love of money is destructive? Why or why not?

Is it good to replace an unhealthy love with a better love?

Where do you find security in this life?

I spend my money on, for instance, mobile data - whilst there are people starving in the world. So yup, I'm addicted to money (or rather, the comparatively inane things money provides).

(Contentment with) what we have (if we are content) relies on a world economic system which rapes the planet and enslaves other people, taking what they have so that we can have.

The fact we don't share to the extent commonsense (never mind the bible) says we ought, indicates the extent to which we are addicted.

And the gulf between where I am as a Christian and where God is.